Whether they be a trending shoe style all on their own, inspired by a trending clothing style or BOTH, these are four shoes to have in your closet that we’re sure will play out as the trendiest of 2023 — and maybe even transition into something more timeless!
The Trend: Viva Magenta
Whether you’re worried about picking the trendiest pieces in the most outdated colors, or you’re looking to be trendy in nothing but your basics, knowing what the trending color palette is will always be the best place to start.
Pantone introduced Viva Magenta as the official color of 2023, so when it comes to color, expect and aim for a rich, playful and magical mix of crimson red, hot pink, fuchsia, raspberry, wine and maroon (or colors that will go well with this palette). Viva Magenta is a beautiful color to work with that reveals itself to have almost no wrong way of being worn, and can enhance everything from casual kicks to classy cocktail shoes.
The Shoe: Sneakers in Any Style
With a trendy color comes the opportunity to amp up any area of your wardrobe without too much effort. From basics to accessories, you’re likely to find everything in shades of the year’s color — so why not take something simple like the kicks that you wear on a daily basis and turn them into something trendy?
Not only will this allow you to embrace (and expose others to) the trendy color experience without any effort, but with a pair of hightops, you can really showcase your love of it! This isn’t just a good move when it comes to staying fashionable, either. Transitioning your basics to trendy colors of the year or classic shades of the season is a great way to ensure you’re refreshing your everyday pieces and keeping them looking fresh and clean, too.
Source: Alim Yakubov/Shutterstock.com
The Trend: Y2K
There’s been a rise in ’90s fashion over the last year that can’t be ignored, and can’t be stopped now — not that we would ever want to stop it! From small and bold sunglasses boasting a big hit of the decade’s fashion into one small piece to toe rings making their transition into this decade in the form of toe ring sandals, it’s become clear that the world is loving the sleek take on basics that this look offers the opportunity for and that it will be embraced big time in 2023. On the note of things becoming clear, though, we should note that clear is the new black for those interested in this aesthetic — ’90s jelly accessory vibes, anyone?
The Shoe: Squared-Toe Sandals with Heels
Square toe, single thick strap, short block heel. This is the recipe for these trendy and comfortable sandals that we keep seeing, but we’ve seen it done in many ways! For a more sophisticated look, consider utilizing luxury materials like leather, suede and velvet in rich colors with minimal details. For a more playful ’90s look, consider shiny patent leather or PVC plastic-like materials in bright cheery colors or playful pastels, with accents such as a clear heel or clear strap.
The Trend: Goth Glam/Girly Grunge
The Goth Glam or Girly Grunge trend made its debut in 2022 as a microtrend, and while it’s never gone away and has actually only kept gaining traction, it’s re-emerging in a more refined form this year — favoring a dark and pretty sophistication over an overtly angsty aesthetic.
Chanel and Givenchy have given us glimpses of this vision on the runways through outfits that balance gothic or grunge aspects such as choker necklaces, black lipsticks and ripped denim shorts with glamorous or girly bows and pearl embellishments, slip dresses, ruffles, laces and chiffons — and we couldn’t love it more.
The Shoe: Shiny Combat Boots with Chunky Lug Soles
Shiny, modern combat boots with exaggerated lug soles look as glam and girly (thanks to the super shine and sleek color) as they do gothic, grunge or alternative (thanks to the chunky rubber lug sole and high laces). As a result of their popularity, you can find these boots glossed in almost every color, but they almost always carry the black sole over. This gives you the opportunity to transition the chunky silhouette of your shoe over to spring and summer without looking out of season, but retains the girly grunge aesthetic in such an amazing way. No matter what color you decide to embrace, use these cute ankle boots to add the Gothic Glam or Girly Grunge vibe into any outfit, and let them become your go-to for EVERY outfit!
Source: travelarium.ph/Shutterstock.com
The Trend: Platform Soles
Another trend that we’re seeing everyone carrying forward from 2022 into 2023 is chunkier soles on shoes — and, in particular, platform soles. From flat-footed Mary Janes to Oxfords and loafers, it seems that no styles have been left out of this movement. With that said, our favorite of them all is a more timeless and yet somehow also more elevated (literally and figuratively) take on the flat-footed Mary Janes that we’ve been seeing for the past couple of months.
The Shoe: Platform Mary Janes
Thanks to Gucci, Schiaparelli and Andreas Kronthaler for Vivienne Westwood, the platform Mary Jane trend was taken to a new level, going from the flat versions that we saw leading up to the new year and ending up at an elevated version of the classic heeled Mary Jane. And while they will work with almost any outfit, we love the pairings of loud platform-heeled Mary Janes and bodycon dresses seen on the runways and expect it to be a big trend for spring 2023.
Source: Creative Lab/Shutterstock.com
Putting Your Best Foot Forward for 2023
Appearance is often involved in New Year’s resolutions, and this year is no different! Improving the way that you’re perceived, upgrading your aesthetic and making solid style choices all begin with a fashionable foundation. So start from the ground up and build your foundation while at the same time putting your best foot forward for the rest to come.
